Rudda Centre Demolished Overnight; Questions Grow Over Response

The Mirpur maternal and child health facility was looted and razed, its executive director says; a police case has been filed as calls grow for answers on accountability and recovery

An overnight attack in Mirpur-1 left the Rudda MCH-FP Centre looted and demolished, raising questions about how the destruction unfolded and what followed. The report says security guards were tied up and held as more than 200 masked assailants armed with crude weapons entered the facility around midnight on Thursday. They allegedly removed medical equipment, medicines, vaccines, cash and other property before heavy machinery brought down the complex, including one permanent and three semi-permanent buildings.

The incident has prompted questions about how an established healthcare institution in the capital could suffer such extensive damage, where the responsible authorities were during the attack, and what action the Ministry of Health has taken since.

The attack is alleged to have taken place under the banner of the “Samomona Dokandar Samabay Samity Limited.” Dr Nasreen Akhter, executive director of the Rudda MCH-FP Centre, put the loss at more than Tk 1 crore. She has filed a case with Shah Ali Police Station.

Beyond the police case, questions remain about how such a large group entered the facility and carried out a prolonged attack using weapons and heavy equipment. Why was there no prompt legal or administrative response after guards were taken hostage? What has the health ministry done since a long-running healthcare institution was destroyed?

Who Ordered the Destruction?

Speculation has emerged about whether influential people were involved. Multiple sources cited in the report suggest an operation of this scale would have been difficult without the direction or backing of a powerful figure. That possibility, however, requires investigation.

No independent evidence supporting those allegations has yet been presented. They should therefore remain matters for inquiry, not be treated as established fact. Determining what happened will require examining not only those who carried out the attack, but also anyone who may have planned, financed or supported it, or exerted influence over it.

The Health Ministry’s Responsibility

The incident also raises questions about the response of the Ministry of Health. The Rudda MCH-FP Centre is not simply a building: it has long provided maternal and child healthcare.

Questions for the ministry led by Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul include what immediate steps were taken after the attack, where affected patients can now receive care, how the looted medicines and vaccines are being accounted for, and what plans exist to rebuild the destroyed facility. The public also needs to know what the ministry is doing to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Critics say health policymakers should have responded with greater visibility and resolve. If doubts remain about the ministry’s actions, they warrant a clear public explanation.

No direct evidence implicating the health minister in the attack has emerged. That does not remove legitimate questions about the government’s administrative and political accountability for its response. The minister’s position, directives and actions should be clearly explained to the public.

Five Decades of Care, Lost in a Night

The Rudda MCH-FP Centre opened in 1974 to provide maternal and child healthcare to low-income and underserved residents of Mirpur. It was established through the initiative of Radda Barnen, the Bangladesh arm of Swedish organisation Save the Children. For decades, the centre ran programmes in reproductive health and family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, child immunisation and health, and community outreach.

The destruction of an institution that served the public for more than five decades means more than the loss of several buildings. It affects healthcare access for thousands, puts public resources at issue and interrupts a long-running public health programme.

Questions Still Awaiting Answers

The central question is whether the case filed over the Rudda Centre’s destruction will lead to a full account of the network behind it. What measures will the Health Minister take to protect healthcare institutions and the public’s access to medical care—and will the public receive a satisfactory explanation?

Until these questions are answered, the incident will remain more than a case of property destruction. It will be a test of accountability across the health-sector administration.